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Kelly Buikus
Kelly Buikus is entering her ninth season as the Head Coach of the UC Women's Lacrosse program after being hired as the program’s inaugural coach in 2016. In addition to her success on the sidelines, Coach Buikus was named the Senior Women's Leader for Cumberlands stepping into that role in July 2023. Over her first eight seasons at the helm, she has guided the Patriots to a 109-26 mark, with seven straight winning season and five appearance in the NAIA National Championships. Throughout her tenure at UC, Coach Buikus has coached led the Patriots to five straight regular season conference titles, two conference tournament titles, and guided the Patriots to the NAIA National Championship game in 2021, becoming the first UC women's sports program to accomplish that feat.
In her time at UC, Coach Buikus has coached 27 NAIA All-Americans, 61 MSC/AAC all-conference selections, three NAIA Player of the Year, seven MSC/AAC Players of the Year, a four conference Freshman of the Year and had 53 student-athletes earn academic all-conference honors. In addition to that, Buikus has been named conference coach of the year four times, including being named the MSC Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2022, while she continues to be an active member at the both the conference and national level serving on numerous committees.
Cumberlands is coming off of an 18-3 season in which they captured the MSC North Division title for the second consecutive season. UC had seven wins over teams that were ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, while leading the NAIA in goals (400), assists (233), points (633), and draw controls (367), while their 5,78 goals against average ranked second in the country. The Patriots advanced to their fourth straight NAIA National Tournament and had the MSC Coach of the Year (Kelly Buikus), MSC Assistant Coach of the Year (Tatiana Samuel), the MSC Player of the Year (Bella Ricchiazzi), and the MSC Defensive Player of the Year (Trinity Brown). UC had seven MSC All-Conference selections and eight MSC Academic All-Conference honorees.
In 2021, Cumberlands posted its first undefeated regular season en route to a 16-2 record overall and the MSC North Division title. After qualifying to nationals as the second-seed the Patriots became just the third team at Cumberlands to post a NAIA national runner-up finish and the first women's sport to accomplish that feat. UC posted ten wins over teams that were ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches Poll, while they were ranked second all season. The Patriots had four All-Americans, nine MSC All-Conference selections, Coach Buikus was named the MSC Coach of the Year, while Bella Ricchiazzi earned the MSC Offensive Player of the Year honor.
In the shortened 2020 season, the Patriots went 8-0 and climbed to #2 in the NAIA Top 10 Poll. Four of Cumberlands eight wins came against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in the national poll, including a 16-11 win over #2 Benedictine in what turned out to be the final game of the season. Cumberlands had six players earned MSC Player of the Week honors, while earning NAIA National Player of the Week honors twice.
In 2019, the Patriots posted a 16-4 record and captured a share of the inaugural Mid-South Conference regular season title before winning the first Mid-South Conference tournament championship and clinching their second straight trip to the NAIA National Invitational. Cumberlands defeated Reinhardt in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. UC recorded 11 wins over teams that were either ranked or receiving votes at the time of the game. In addition to that the Patriots had six NAIA All-Americans, eight MSC All-Conference selections, two Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, and eight Academic All-Conference selections.
In 2018, the Patriots posted their best season in program history, setting program records for wins (20), most wins against ranked opponent (10), highest ranking in program history (second) and two wins against NAIA top-five ranked opponents. In addition to that, Buikus guided UC to its first AAC regular season and tournament title as well as their first appearance in the NAIA Women’s Lacrosse Invitational Championships. The Patriots had nine all-conference selections, the AAC Player of the Year as well as the AAC Freshman of the Year, and the NAIA Player of the Year. Coach Buikus was also named the AAC Coach of the Year.
In 2017, the Patriots posted an 11-6 record, almost tripling their win total from the first season. Cumberlands notched its first ten win season, including the programs first win over a ranked opponent an 11-10 win over eighth-ranked Columbia on March 18th. UC qualified for the AAC tournament for the first time in program history and were ranked in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll, being ranked as high as eighth. Cumberlands placed seven on the AAC all-conference team, including Samantha Tullar who was named the AAC Player of the Year as AAC Freshman of the Year. The Patriots also had its first NAIA All-Americans as Tullar and Becan Hennighan were both named to the First Team.
In her first season at UC, Buikus led the Patriots to a 4-8 record. The first win in program history came in an 11-6 win over Pikeville on February 19, 2016. Cumberlands posted a 3-5 conference record and had two players earn all-conference recognition.
Prior to UC, Coach Buikus coached at Ave Maria University where she built the lacrosse program and brought the squad from club to varsity status. In 2015, Buikus led the young squad to a 3-10 regular season record playing NAIA schools, NCAA D-II, and NCAA D-III opponents. Six of her players were named All-South Region, while two of her players were named NWLL Honorable Mention All-Americans. One player received Academic All-American honors as well. Buikus also served on the NWLL Selection Committee, as well as the awards committee.
Buikus started her coaching career in 2009 as a volunteer assistant coach for the lacrosse program at the University of Saint Joseph before accepting a graduate assistant coaching position for the women’s lacrosse team at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. In 2009, she moved to Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where she served as the head coach for lacrosse as well as carrying the duties as the Assistant Athletic Director. She also served as a NEAC conference chair and was on the ECAC voting committee. She coached five all-conference players and the team was named all-academic by the IWLCA in both seasons of her tenure. In 2012, Buikus was named the coach at Converse College, where she doubled the wins from the previous season and had two all-conference players in Conference Carolinas.
Buikus graduated from the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
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